Thursday, March 1, 2018

Get Thee to a Video!

We know how it is. You’re researching Hamlet for that important
English 102 paper you have to write.
You’ve found tons of great resources in the SCC Library’s databases, chock-full as they are with online
journals, e-books, magazines, newspaper, and even audio files, but you’re still
interested to know more about Shakespeare’s classic.

Of course the problem is obvious: You forgot aboutvideo! Sometimes the best information comes in the form of good,
old-fashioned A/V, and as Shakespeare says, “The play’s the thing.” Written
material is vital, but if you really want to see Hamlet come to life in all its
gorey glory, video is the place to be.

This insightful and entertaining overview of Shakespeare’s masterpiece covers
the play’s major themes of revenge and death, as well as a focus on Hamlet’s
relationships with the women in his life, his mother and Opehlia. Leading
scholars discuss the plot and character motivations. Essential viewing for the
Shakespeare student!

Who knows better the story of Hamlet better than the legendary actors who
brought the play to life? Join Sir John Gielgud, Ben Kingsley, Richard Burton,
Sir Laurence Olivier and others as they discuss the substance and meaning of
the Shakespearian tragedy they know so well.

This television production from 1964 presents scenes from
Hamlet as interpreted through Comedia dell’Arte, the classic Italian genre of
comedy and pantomime. Think of it as Shakespeare by way of The Three Stooges
(with a little Jerry Lewis thrown in). The presentations emphasizes the comedic
nature inherent in the Bard’s works.

This documentary views Hamlet through a modern lens by examining the public
(and Shakespeare’s) relationship to our royalty. Learn what fascinated
Shakespeare about the frailty of monarchs and their families and how it is
reflected in the lives of the royal families today.

Explore Hamlet and the rest of Shakespeare’s classics through their history on
the motion picture screen. An endless variety of styles and reimaginings of the
Bard’s works have appeared throughout film history, and the many scenes
examined here help bring the majesty and mystery of Shakespeare’s world to
life.

If you’re off-campus, just use your SCC web ID and password to access the
videos or any other SCC Library database. And as always, ask the SCC Library staff if you have any questions about how to
research Hamlet (or ham radio or ham salad or Alexander Hamilton or ham near
anything!).